The Ringwood Board of Education is moving ahead with projects for maintaining our school facilities.  We are waiting with baited breath for the Hewitt Referendum work to begin in the spring of 2012.  Our selected architectural firm, Di Cara & Rubino, is currently busy working on the engineering drawings for the Hewitt work and we should be going out for bids on construction for Hewitt in late winter. The $11,195,000 in bonds for the Hewitt Referendum are being sold next month in September so that we can start paying our architect and other bills.

We are also looking to bring a Construction Manager on board beginning in October, 2011.  The construction manager will work for the Ringwood board and will oversee all construction and refurbishments for the referendum.  He will ensure that all work is done according to specification and state and local code.  He will also intervene on the board’s part when there is a discrepancy or disagreement between the architect and the contractor or a sub-contractor.  The construction manager is always looking out for the district and reports to the board and the business administrator.

At the last board meeting on August 15^th, 2011, the board of education approved the installation of solar panels by the Passaic County Improvement Authority (PCIA).  The solar panels are being installed at no cost to the district and the PCIA’s contractor will perform the installation in the fall of 2011 or in 2012.  The Ringwood Board of Education will receive approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year in savings for 15 years by having the solar panels installed.  At the end of the 15 year contract, the board may be able to keep the panels generating electricity for little or no additional cost for an additional 10 to 15 years.  The initial installation will be at the Ryerson School and the board is looking to have solar panels on the Hewitt roof once the Hewitt construction is completed in the fall of 2012.

The board is also considering an Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP) for all 4 schools in Ringwood. An ESIP allows a board of education to bond for energy improvements without voter approval.  The calculations for the ESIP must prove that the energy savings will cover the cost of the upgrades before an ESIP is approved.  Lighting and boilers are popular items for ESIPs since lighting can typically pay for itself in 3 years and boilers can pay for themselves in 6 or 7 years.  An ESIP is a much needed means of getting necessary repairs done without any cost to taxpayers.

More information on the Hewitt Referendum, PCIA, and the ESIP will follow in the coming months.

We are quietly waiting for our Architect, Jerry Rubino, and his company to complete the drawings for the Hewitt Improvement Project.  It will take approximately 7 months for DiCara – Rubino to complete the engineering drawings.  The drawings should be completed sometime around January of 2012.  There will be no work done on Hewitt during the summer of 2011 or, at most, the amount of work will be quite minor.  The majority of the construction will be completed during the summer of 2012.  That’s when the “platform” for the new media center and classrooms will be constructed over the Annex of the Hewitt School.  The windows and new boilers should be completed during that period of time also.

The platform will be completed, but construction on the walls and roof and other aspects of the building will continue afterward when school is open.  Everything possible will be done to keep noise down to a minimum level and much work will be performed after school hours.  Once the platform is completed over the Annex, we will really see noticeable advances in construction on a daily basis.

I look forward to the day that all of the referendum committee members, and supportive parents and residents will be able to see the completed school with its new media center and classrooms.  Thank you all so much for your support.

 The second activity is the Hewitt Forum scheduled for Wednesday, April 20th, starting at 7:30 PM in the Hewitt School gym.  Katy McKeever and Melissa Griegel will present the Hewitt School PowerPoint presentation and many board and committee members will be present to answer questions.  Our Superintendent, Hugh Beattie, will of course be present.  Our Architect, Jerry Rubino will answer all questions on the refurbishments and the construction project.  Our Bond Attorney, Lisa Gorab will be present to answer financial questions.  We are not planning tours of the facility, but special arrangements can be made if someone wants a tour.  Please inform your friends and neighbors about this great opportunity to get information on their school system and what the Ringwood Board of Education and the Referendum Committee are trying to do for the students.  Documents and flyers explaining the fundamentals of the referendum will be available for anyone wanting them.

 I hope to see everyone at the events and please don’t forget to vote on April 27th.  Every last vote is critical.

 As a result, the board of education decided the only way to save Hewitt School was to propose a referendum, which would provide for the construction of a state-of-the-art media center (library/computer center), much-needed classroom space, and a new music room.  If the referendum is approved, the building will also be brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  An elevator would be installed, and the entire building would be equipped with the legal amenities to provide for students with special needs.

 The cost for the taxpayers based on the borough average assessed home value of $355,382 is $167.00 per year for 20 years.  The Ringwood Board of Education has planned a forum to present the facts and answer questions on the Hewitt Improvement Plan.  Experts, such as the architect, bond attorney, and facilities committee, will be there to answer any questions.  The forum will be held in the E.G. Hewitt School gym at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, April 20th.  Please try to attend and bring your questions.

Please click on the link above and take a moment to view our video, which explains all the details of the Hewitt Improvement Project and the need for the referendum’s support.

There will be an $11.2 million bond issue on the April 27th school election ballot to refurbish the school.  There are two major projects in the 11.2 million dollar referendum.  The first, the renovation of the Hewitt School, is estimated to cost $5,339,276 and it includes new roofing for sections of Hewitt, new windows, technology and electrical upgrades, fire safety upgrades, heating and air handling upgrades, new boilers, new doors, ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990) upgrades, and numerous other improvements.  The second project is the replacement of the portables with new construction including a new media center, computer lab, and 4 classrooms.  It is estimated to cost $5,856,674 and it includes adding an elevator as required by state law.

Hewitt School Principal Tim Johnson and the Ringwood Board of Education extend an invitation to all interested Ringwood residents to tour the school and gather information on the upcoming referendum from 9:00 to 11:00 AM on March 19^th.

 We had a small group for the last Referendum Committee meeting on February 17^th.  The meeting lasted only a little over an hour which was nice for a change.  We did not sit for 2 or 2 ½ hours going over details.  We went over recent open houses and current feedback concerning the referendum.

It appears that we will not get state aid for this project.  Since Governor Christie has put a halt on all approvals for state aid, there will be no approvals until Governor Christie decides to reverse his decision (if he decides to do so).  This is terrible for Ringwood, since the state has a legal responsibility to help the localities support education.  It means that the average home valued at $355,382 will have to pay $167 in increased taxes rather than $137 should the referendum pass.

 During the upcoming meeting, I am going to ask Katy McKeever to show us the presentation that she developed for the open houses.  I have arranged to provide an LCD projector and screen for presentations in homes and at organizations should they be necessary.  In addition, we hope to get other residents set up with confirmed dates for their open houses.  We will also review how effective our efforts have been to date.  A new flyer will be available that shows the current financial status for the referendum.

 I hope to see everyone at the meeting on March 24^th.  If you want to sign up for an open house, please contact Melissa Griegel and if you want to sign up for our emails, please contact me by signing up for emails from this site.

We have about 20 people signed up so far.  We would also love a chance to come to your organization.  Let us know when you meet and put us on the agenda for the night.

For more information, or to sign up, please email Melissa Griegel at thegriegels@optonline.net

We are planning 2 open house tours at the Hewitt School.  One will be in March and the other will be in April.  These tours will be promoted on Channel 77, our blog site (www.ringwoodboe.edublogs.org), our Facebook page, and through press releases in the Suburban Trends.  I will release more information as it becomes available. 

Melissa Griegel and Katy McKeever will be coordinators for the home open houses.  They will contact everyone that volunteered to hold an open house and make arrangements for support for each home. 

We are still waiting for confirmation from the state on how applications for state aid will be handled.  Information may be provided by the governor during the first week of February.  If no state aid is provided by the state, the cost to the average residence in Ringwood will increases by $30 more than if we do get aid.  The difference is summarized in this table.  Scenario 1 is no state aid and scenario 2 is with state aid: 

Our next meeting will probably be during the week of February 14th.  I will provide the date as soon as we have it firmed up.  Thanks for your continueing support.

Please take a few minutes to view our Powerpoint presentation regarding the specifics of the referendum.

Thank you for your time and consideration.